Summary
Women in American Indian Society, Revised Edition, delves into an area that has long been misrepresented, if not entirely neglected, by mainstream scholars. Traditionally, Native American women played important roles in their society, but as soon as Europeans set foot on Indian soil, these women began losing ground. Denied their rightful positions of responsibility, excluded from tribal councils, and stripped of their property, Indigenous women felt sorely the chauvinism that whites forced upon their culture. In the 19th century, however, after being placed on reservations and forced to learn the ways of white society, American Indian women wielded newfound and traditional knowledge to surmount U.S. government efforts to obliterate Indigenous cultures.
About the Author(s)
Rayna Green is Curator Emerita in the Division of Cultural and Community Life at the National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution. A folklorist and author, she is an expert on American Indian representations and the history of Indigenous women, identity, and foodways.
Liz Sonneborn is the author of more than 100 nonfiction books on a wide range of subjects, including American Indian history, African-American history, and women's history.